Fangst, Nordic canned seafood from Copenhagen
Fangst is a small Danish cannery for Nordic seafood, founded in Copenhagen in 2018 by Martin, Rasmus, and Mikkel. They bring the finest fish and shellfish from Nordic waters into beautifully designed tins. Not a substitute for sardines or tuna, but the North in its purest form, ready to open and share.
Fangst stands for Nordic canned seafood that brings the Southern European "conservas" craft to the North. In Danish and Norwegian, "fangst" simply means catch. In their Copenhagen workshop, they turn Baltic sprats, herring, Faroe Islands salmon, trout, and mussels from the Limfjord into small delicacies, preserved in cold-pressed rapeseed oil from the island of Bornholm. The text on the tins is honest, simple, and Nordic. This is the taste of the North: uncomplicated and good, requiring neither a pot nor long cooking times. You can find all eleven tins in one place with us.
2018, three Danes, and an old idea
Fangst began in 2018 as an idea from three friends who wanted to bring the richness of the Nordic sea back into a tin, just as it has been done in the South for ages.
Martin grew up in a family of biologists, birdwatchers, and fish farmers; his father built a world-class trout farm in Danish freshwater, and young Martin was often allowed to tag along. Rasmus spent his childhood at the mussel beds of the Isefjord and Roskilde Fjord and always wanted to know more about the edible nature, flora, and fauna. Mikkel, an experienced chef and author of the cookbook *Gone Fishing*, tinkered with the initial recipes.
In Spain and Portugal, it is perfectly natural to put the finest fish into beautiful tins, but in the North, this art had been almost forgotten. "We believed that people would eat more fish if it were easily available and simple to serve," says co-founder Martin Bregnballe. Over 100 years ago, canneries lined the coasts of Scandinavia and northern German cities like Kiel, but then the craft fell into oblivion.
Some of the three come from Michelin-starred kitchens, and all share the same passion for making the bounty of the Nordic seas tangible in its best form. To them, their tins are not just a product, but an expression of a conscious, regional way of life. These "sea dogs" are bringing back an old craft with respect for nature. They chose the name Fangst deliberately; it fits people who head out themselves to gather and harvest in the waters, fields, and forests of the North.
From sprat to cockle
The range extends from small Baltic sprats to salmon, herring, and mussels from the Limfjord. We list eleven tins; the smaller ones weigh 100 g, the larger ones 110 g.
The sprat, or *brisling* in Danish, comes in three characters: mild with heather and chamomile, intensely smoked, or salted and dried with clove and allspice. Then there is the smoked herring from the Norwegian Sea, refined over beechwood—smoky, spicy, and hearty—which has been called the silver of the sea since the Middle Ages.
There are three versions of Faroe Islands salmon: briefly grilled, fruity with sea buckthorn, or smoked over beechwood, accompanied by delicate smoked trout from Danish freshwater. From the Limfjord come marinated mussels with dill and fennel, their smoky sibling, and the fine, heart-shaped cockles, a small delicacy.
Each tin is a meal in itself—as an appetizer, a snack, or part of a tapas platter. You just need to open it; the cannery has already done the rest, cleaning by hand and carefully packing each one. If you like, warm the fish briefly or fold it into pasta, salad, or soup—every tin is versatile regardless.
Wild catch, Bornholm oil, and an aluminum tin
For their selection, the three founders spoke with fishermen, scientists, chefs, and other experts.
Most of the fish and shellfish are wild-caught and MSC-certified. Salmon and trout grow slowly in cold waters that rarely rise above 10.5 degrees even in summer, and herring travel in huge shoals at depths of up to 200 m through the Norwegian Sea. Mussels thrive without any feed, and small, fatty fish like the *brisling* are equally good for the ocean and the plate.
The rapeseed oil is cold-pressed and comes from the island of Bornholm, the herbs from a small importer on Funen, and all other ingredients are organically grown. The tins are made of aluminum, and their contents keep for a long time at room temperature without any refrigeration. Aluminum tins can be recycled indefinitely, a cycle that fits well with the North.
With 70 percent fish and often more, every tin contains primarily what matters, plus just oil, salt, and a few herbs. This leaves little waste and little to spoil—a quiet, practical contribution to reducing food waste. In addition to fish, Fangst also offers a sister line called Høst with vegetable spreads and pickles, but the sea remains at the center.
The design that seduces many at first sight
Many people reach for Fangst because of the tin; the Scandinavian design has long been a small eye-catcher on any table.
Cliffs, rough water, dark forests, and a berry or blossom here and there—the labels tell tales of the North before you even open the tin. Not a few buy them first as a gift for the eyes and only discover the fine contents afterward. Fangst calls the whole thing "Nordic style tapas," simple sharing instead of long cooking. That is exactly what makes the tins a beautiful gift that also tastes really good.
Fangst is now carried by gourmet retailers across half of Europe and beyond, from Caputo's in the USA to the Tinned Fish Market in London. The small cannery is based in the meatpacking district of Copenhagen, and in the summer, also in Gudhjem on the island of Bornholm, where the good rapeseed oil comes from. This keeps the brand close to the sea and the material. If you would like to stop by, it is best to call ahead—they are only open when the three are there themselves.
What to start with
If you aren't familiar with Fangst yet, start with a classic—preferably one that appeals to your palate.
We particularly enjoy the smoked Faroe Islands salmon; it is one of our best-selling tins, delicate and smoky on fresh bread. Those who like it spicier should reach for the smoked sprats on buttered bread; mussel lovers should try the smoked mussels from the Limfjord. As a small gift, these pretty tins are always a pleasure—a Nordic greeting for anyone who likes good food. Feel free to try your way through the range; from the small sprat to the noble cockle, there is something for every taste.
Put a few of them on the table, along with good bread, a lemon, and a crisp salad; that’s all you need for a Nordic tapas meal. Served chilled at about 8 degrees, the aromas are best brought to life. Each of the eleven tins tells a piece of the North, from the Baltic Sea and the Faroe Islands to the Limfjord. Just try them out—the North has more to offer than you think. *God appetit*, as the Danes say.
